Whether it was the successful completion of her tasks or the massage from Manman yesterday, Wang Qiqi found herself reluctant to rise when the alarm sounded. However, the boss had repeatedly emphasized the assembly time for today. Despite her body screaming for just a little more rest—especially since she needed to lend her car to Shi Man today and would have to take the bus—which would make her late, she forced herself up, groaning as she shuffled downstairs to take care of her morning hygiene.

Wang Qiqi emerged from the washroom with a yawn, only to be met by a sharp, cold snort beside her. Who is in such a foul mood this early? she wondered. Looking up, she saw Shi Hongrui. Since it’s her, Wang Qiqi bypassed her quickly and headed downstairs to the kitchen to start preparing breakfast.

Shi Hongrui watched Wang Qiqi walk right past her without so much as a flicker of acknowledgment, and she was furious enough to explode. What was that supposed to mean? Ignoring her? Looking down on her? Hmph. Qiqi had boasted about being busy, about eating steak often. Fine, she was a fool to have believed Shi Man’s words. But how many steaks had they actually eaten? Shi Man had already cooked several Chinese meals. Not to mention Shi Man’s announcement yesterday that Wang Qiqi would be cooking something delicious today. Thinking of this, Shi Hongrui hadn't slept well at all last night. She finally understood: they had just been waiting for her to suggest leaving. Shi Hongrui clenched her fists and shook them toward the stairwell.

Unaware of the dramatic display unfolding upstairs, Wang Qiqi busied herself in the kitchen. She checked the time, warmed a glass of milk, toasted some bread, and fried an egg. Simple, perhaps, but she needed to rush to the studio; she certainly couldn't afford to arrive right on the dot.

Shi Man drifted down the stairs, still yawning. "You're leaving already?" She had planned to get up early to make breakfast, only to find Qiqi already gathering her meal near the door.

"Yeah, I'm heading over early." Wang Qiqi went upstairs to grab her backpack and noticed Shi Man still standing frozen on the landing. "What's wrong?" she asked. Is she just going to stand there looking vacant this early? "Go back to bed if you’re sleepy." Qiqi knew Shi Man and the others were also swamped writing their graduation theses, often pulling all-nighters. This hour was likely far too early for them.

Shi Man mumbled an "Oh," snapping back to attention. "Right, I’ll head back up. Oh, and we’ll take care of the shopping. John is heading back to the States, and he agreed to let us use his car." Shi Man had promised Qiqi she could use her car yesterday, but now that they had access to another vehicle, it saved Qiqi the hassle of the bus ride.

The car situation was resolved? Wang Qiqi didn't bother chastising Shi Man for not mentioning it yesterday. "I just ran into Shi Hongrui upstairs, and she was glaring at me with intense dissatisfaction. If you encounter her, just ignore her. Don't provoke her." The dark expression of the other woman earlier had made Wang Qiqi slightly uneasy, considering they all lived under the same roof. If someone harbored malicious thoughts, it could lead to major trouble.

Shi Man had initially wanted to say why should she yield to Hongrui; if that woman caused any more trouble, she should just be told to get lost. But she remembered that Hongrui had signed a lease agreement and was paying rent on time. Getting rid of her wouldn't be easy. "Sigh, I get it. I’m heading back to my room. In this world, sigh." Shi Man thought to herself that as the sub-landlord, she still had to stomach the visage of Hongrui—it was unbearable.

Seeing Shi Man’s dejected look, Wang Qiqi knew that even if she disagreed with Qiqi’s suggested reaction, she probably wouldn’t give Hongrui the cold shoulder anymore. Qiqi patted her shoulder. "Why sink to her level? It won't give you an extra piece of flesh, and it’s better spent translating a few more articles or studying the stock market, right?" If they wanted to truly infuriate Shi Hongrui until she spat blood, there were plenty of ways—like making significant money. That would surely drive Shi Hongrui mad.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes." Shi Man was instantly brought back to clarity by Wang Qiqi's encouraging words. She realized she had been obsessed lately, constantly thinking about how to retaliate against that person. "From now on, if she provokes me, I won't pay attention to her either. Why upset myself and delay making money?"

Wang Qiqi had just entered the common area to greet everyone when she abruptly pulled Mark aside. "Did you know John is returning to the States today?" Mark had just learned about John's trip, and it clearly agitated him immensely.

Wang Qiqi found John's obvious excitement peculiar. It's not like I'm his girlfriend, or even really his friend; where he goes shouldn't concern me. She wondered why Mark was pulling her aside with such intensity. "I only found out last night. What's wrong?" Mark’s agitation suggested he might have insider information. If she hadn't known Mark used to have a girlfriend, and given that John was a close friend's partner, Qiqi might have suspected they were a couple.

"Do you know why he's going back?" Mark was quite annoyed that Qiqi knew about John’s trip a day earlier. Even though it was only a single night’s difference, Mark felt it was a sign of distrust. He admitted he had spoken harshly before, but it was out of worry for John. The investment in the network company had taken weeks of research and deliberation. How long had passed between John learning about this new venture and deciding to invest? This seemed beyond hasty.

Observing Mark’s displeased expression, Wang Qiqi began calculating internally: should she tell the truth or keep silent? Then she realized he was pressing her, and claiming ignorance might imply something truly disastrous had occurred. "It seems to be about discussing a partnership. I’ve been buried in writing my thesis these past few days, staying in my room for everything since that day we returned..." Wang Qiqi felt genuinely wronged. "I just casually mentioned what my man is up to; I never intended to solicit investors. Actually, the few of us have already secured the funding. If we need new shareholders, shouldn't we wait until we show some results before adding people? That way, our stock value could appreciate more."

Mark looked at the somewhat strained expression on Wang Qiqi’s face and remembered how busy she was with her thesis. "I... I'm sorry." Mark realized he had been overly anxious. While Qiqi had seemed to be looking for investment that day, she ultimately deferred the contact to John. Given the subsequent developments, she truly shouldn't have known anything.

Sorry? Seeing the sheepish expression on the man, what choice did Wang Qiqi have? Regardless, her money was currently in his hands. "How about I tell them this time around the investment is off, and we can bring in new shareholders once we have results?" This would be better, preventing someone from capitalizing too easily. While the initial investment wasn't massive, Wang Qiqi had calculated that if they avoided unnecessary detours and lived frugally, their current funds could sustain them for a while. When the project’s framework was established and required larger capital, the current amount wouldn't compare.

Mark was initially delighted, but then he sighed. "Forget it. Let things proceed as they must. If he loses money, he loses money. He’s already lost quite a bit anyway; we can just earn it back from the stock market." Mark had finally understood some things couldn't be stopped by him. If John was determined to invest, even if Angel and the other shareholders objected to new investors, what could be done?

John lost a lot of money? This news stunned Wang Qiqi, and she finally understood why Mark was so agitated. "That's how the network industry is; you don't know if it will succeed until the very end. But successful ventures attract plenty of investors, even if the price is steep." Wang Qiqi thought that Mark, being in finance, should understand this basic concept. If so, why was he so worked up? Or was there something he wasn't saying? Wang Qiqi suddenly felt John’s situation was quite complicated. Although, by his account, John had lost significant money in the network investment, wasn't John also making money in the stock market? If all else failed, hadn't she heard his family background was solid? Starting a business with his family connections would surely be easier than for those of them starting from scratch. "Don't worry, maybe this time John will make a fortune. I invested a fair bit of money myself, too, right?"

Mark looked at the overtly optimistic Wang Qiqi and felt embarrassed to say, That's your man's enterprise; of course, you're confident. In the end, he kept the thought unspoken. "I apologize again."

Seeing Mark apologize to her again, Wang Qiqi inwardly rolled her eyes—it lacked any sincerity. She had encountered nothing but bad luck this morning. Wang Qiqi decided she needed to make pig’s trotters soup when she got home. "It’s nothing, nothing. You were just looking out for a friend. Don't worry, we definitely won't disappoint John with this investment."

"Rest assured, even though John is going to the States, he'll handle things," Mark said before preparing to leave. Then, realizing something was off, he grabbed Angel, who had just walked in, and pulled her towards a corner. "By the way, did you bring me breakfast?" Mark suddenly remembered he hadn't eaten. Sometimes Angel would bring breakfast, but why hadn't she produced any yet?

"No, I woke up late today." Wang Qiqi found the sudden shift to breakfast strange; the leap in topic was too abrupt. "I've been exhausted from writing my thesis these past few days; I didn't even want to get up this morning. If you want something, I can bake some pastries tomorrow." Sigh, I'm falling back into the cook’s routine again. Fortunately, this labor wasn't entirely unpaid; the boss would let her keep an account book. Otherwise, earning such meager wages would be unsustainable.

When everyone heard the word 'breakfast,' they stopped focusing on the previous topic. Angel sometimes brought breakfast, and perhaps Mark was being so eager to snag his favorite meal early. "Angel, remember to bring me breakfast tomorrow! I’ve been looking forward to it." Mark patted Wang Qiqi’s shoulder and then walked over to the dining table, waiting for the boss to assign tasks.

"Me too! I want the cream-filled ones."

"I want the one that tastes like..."

They all started listing their desired pastries. Wang Qiqi nearly kicked them all. It would have been one thing if they asked for the same type, but there were so many requests. "Tomorrow morning, we're having beef noodles," Wang Qiqi decided. That seemed the most convenient option; the beef could be stewed the day before, and boiling noodles in the morning was quick—much easier than making pastries.